gevoeliger

Gevoeliger is the comparative form of the Dutch adjective gevoelig, meaning more sensitive. It can describe someone who is more easily affected by stimuli, emotions or pain, or a situation that provokes a stronger reaction. The term is used for both physical and emotional sensitivity.

In practice, gevoelig can refer to physical receptiveness to stimuli, such as light, sound, or touch, and to psychological or emotional responsiveness. For example, iemand is gevoeliger voor lawaai (someone is more sensitive to noise) or iemand is gevoeliger voor kritiek (someone is more susceptible to criticism). The nuance of gevoeliger often implies a higher degree of susceptibility and can carry a slightly negative connotation, suggesting vulnerability or fragility, but it is also used neutrally to indicate heightened awareness or empathy.

Gevoeliger is typically used in attributive and predicative positions: Het kind is gevoeliger geworden na de operatie, or Ze is gevoeliger voor sociale signalen. It is commonly accompanied by voor to specify the domain of sensitivity, such as voor prikkels, voor geluiden, of voor emoties.

Etymology and related terms: gevoelig derives from gevoel (feeling) with a suffix forming an adjective meaning capable of being affected. Related concepts include gevoeligheid (sensitivity), hypergevoelig (hyper-sensitive), and overgevoelig (overly sensitive). These terms help distinguish degrees or types of sensitivity in both everyday language and more formal contexts.